Trialling times
Well, surely the two most exciting events have occurred in the last few days. The first is that we have a Dome Coffee shop in Canning Vale now that has just open 100m away from home. That’s just manna from heaven. The second is my Gravity Zero wheelset. Thanks to Mike Aviet for the opportunity to obtain some ’schmicko’ wheels from him. They have the xone ceramic bearings. I will organise Phil Ingpen from Runner’s World to put them on my bike on Thursday. Also, thanks to Brendan and Liz McSweeney, I have some great tubular tyres to put on them. I’ve had a lot of good karma lately and I’ll never take it for granted.
The weekend was pretty busy with Christmas shopping and all. I think we’ve finished most of this now. Matt went to Rotto yesterday with one of his mates on board their Sunseeker 48. A monster of a boat however he now wants to buy a boat again. On to matters relating to training though!
On Saturday, I felt like I took another big step forward with my cycling with the BFSR group. Luke Hardy, Brendan Mac and Rod Mejias were all there to make sure it was an honest ride however we waited a few times to ensure we regrouped properly. Kudos to our two women for strong riding particularly in the ‘roll’ along Shelley. After the 60kms we settled in at the brand new Dome Coffee Shop, near the corner of Warton and Amherst Rds. Surely this will be a new stop off point for groups heading to the Armadale Hills. I felt that familiar burning in the legs. I’m putting in more and more turns at the front. I thought I had Mr Mejias at Shelley until I realised that pesky Atomic Brooks bloke (Luke Hardy) had used me as his lead-out man. Not sure how he went in the Joondalup event yesterday. I read that some of the South Perth Rouleurs may have got caught up in a crash. Hopefully, the ‘Fynn meister’ emerged ok.
On Sunday, I dropped Dee off to Jacob’s ladder around 6.15am. Now absorb this if you can - she went on to do no less than 25 ascents of Jacob’s ladder, complete with 17kg backpack on. Not satisfied with that, she went on with her training group to do a hard 1.5hr walk around Kings Park. Once I’d dropped her off, I went along to the Mandogalup time trial just off Anketell Rd. I went off at number 11 and instantly felt it was going to be a tough effort with the wind and slight undulations. I would have to say I was a little surprised at my 35.1kph effort but I guess that’s a good gauge of where my TT fitness is at. Most of the 70 TT’ers have their bikes ‘tricked up’ a little. Brendan McSweeney was a mere handful of seconds away from a 40kph effort. He’s an animal and said his heart rate at one point went up to 195. He’s an animal!
I think Liz had a bit of bad luck with a flat before starting but it was only through the first lap that she realised. It was a funny day with a few people unwittingly taking a short cut via Sayer Rd. A few others (Mike Guerin for one) had punctures. Some people fairly roared past me though. Rod Mejias is a big rap on this as part of bike training - see if you can maintain your TT position as you go up hills. Mind you, he does it going up Mount St hill- that’s just a stupid amount of strength!
Back to the TT and I had just finished and as I rolled back I saw Brendan finish a handful of seconds behind me. I figured he must have had a lap to go however it ended up that he’d gone a full 8mins quicker than me!! Now that’s just creating contrast!!
I got back to Jacob’s ladder and by 10.15am Dee had done 4hrs of exercise all with her 10kg Macpac on and the onset of a 35C day.
Some of you are doing the Rockingham Tri this weekend. Best of luck with it and lets hope the weather doesn’t change too much from this.
Even this early on, I am sticking my neck out to do a sub 5hr Busso Half Ironman. I did a 5hr25m this year (and 5hr 30m the year before) so I’m chasing a massive improvement.But I reckon a sub 40m swim, sub 2hr30m bike (so something a little better than 36kph) and 1hr 40m run (just under 5min/km pace) will all be efforts I can string together with the right preparation. Well, you have to have goals. I’m sure all of you contemplating this event will be breaking down each effort to ‘bitesize’ chunks (ok, maybe not bitesize!)
I’ll do all the 40 and 80km time trials early in the new year. My running coach reckons I have a 3hr 30m marathon effort in me. It’s pretty easy to sit back and say I agree (very easy, actually) but this will need more commitment to training on my part. Still a new year brings new resolve. My weekly swim with Richard Kelly every Monday at Riverton will need to increase but I really just want to be able to put in a 36min effort for 1.9kms to give me a 40min exit time for the start of the bike.
Dee and I watched her Kilimanjaro DVD again last night. Less than a month to go for her now. The experience of those guys on Mt Cook in NZ was a little offputting but Dee has renewed purpose and vigour now.
I’ve got Matt’s old BMX Haro Formula 3 bike in for a service and sparkle so that I can bring it to Melbourne in January to give to one of my brothers. It’s a lovely bike that I’m sure the nephews will be rapt with. I won’t worry about bringing my road bike as my 10 days in Melbourne will be busy enough I suspect. Dee and I get to chill out for a few days after Christmas down at Busso which will be great tonic for both of us. Nothing salubrious - just camping at Peppermint Park Eco Village again. A short walk to the beach. It’ll be great.
I really hope lot’s of you make Busso Half Ironman one of your New Year’s resolutions (either individually or as part of a team). It’s a great vibe and just a fantastic event. It’d be great to have a whole stack of us down there. Dee’s all female team are back on board with Ashleigh Davis on swim, Nicki Foster on her Orbea and Dee hoping for a sub 2hr run.
A great Christmas to all of you.
Regards
CHRISTO